RIMERSBURG — To the Northern Potter girls basketball team, it must have seemed like everyone, including Harry Potter, was on the floor guarding its ballhandlers.

The Union defense forced 33 turnovers — bringing its total to 80 in two playoff games — as the Damsels used their ballhawking skills to topple the Panthers 65-46 in the second round of the District 9 Class A playoffs atUnion High School Thursday night.

"When we are playing our best defense, it looks like we have six or seven defenders out there," said Union coach Josh Meeker. "We want it to look like no one is open — ever. We're playing really well right now."

That's an understatement.

Union (24-3) forced 47 turnovers in its 42-point opening round win over Cameron County Tuesday night.

The Damsels were at it again, handing out distress to Northern Potter.

"We know they like to press," said Northern Potter coach RobbCowburn. "We worked on breaking the press from day one this season. We knew we needed to hit some shots early or this would become total chaos."

Northern Potter (19-7) did hit some shots at the beginning of the contest.

The Panthers pulled even with the Damsels at 19 late in the second quarter before Union started forcing turnovers turnovers in bunches and turning them into a 13-0 run.

Northern Potter got as close as seven points early in the second half, but, again, Union used Panther miscues to push ahead by double digits.

Union never led by fewer than 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Brittany Rounds scored seven of her 13 points in the first quarter for the Panthers, who couldn't keep up with the pace Union set.

The Damsels took 75 shots to only 44 for Northern Potter.

Tiffany Corle, fresh off of recording her 1,000th career point Tuesday, scored 23 points. She had eight in the first quarter to keep Union on track and nine in the third quarter, including two 3-pointers, to help her team pull away.

Outside shooting has been Corle's bugaboo throughout her career, but during the halftime warmup, she was draining them from the left corner. She hit her two 3-pointers in the third period from roughly the same spot.

"I've always said if Tiff works on her outside shooting, look out," Meeker said. "I've been worried teams are going to sag in on her and just let her try to shoot from out there. But if she starts making them, they can't do that."

Corle doesn't seem to care what defense is thrown at her. She has the strength to bull her way to the hoop, as she did against Northern Potter.

She also had 10 rebounds and a handful of steals and assists Thursday night.

Alicia Anthony added 13 points and Mackenzie Shirey pitched in another 11 for the Damsels.

Shirey has been the unsung hero for Union this season.

"She's playing the role Tiff played the past two years," Meeker said. "We wouldn't be where we are this year without Mackenzie Shirey."

Where Union is right now is in the Class A Final Four, which puts it in the state playoffs.

The top four teams from Class A in the district qualify for the PIAA tournament.

But the Damsels would like to repeat as district champions.

The next step toward that goal will be against ElkCounty Catholic next week on a day and at a site and time to be determined.

NORTHERN POTTER 46Emily Gamble 5-8 3-5 13, Brittany Rounds 5-8 0-0 13, Katie Smoker 2-8 0-0 4, Casey Martin 3-6 2-3 8, Jessi Cornell 0-1 0-0 0, Nikki Thompson 1-6 0-0 2, Tristin Rounds 1-2 0-0 2, Jessica Hurd 2-5 0-1 4.

Totals: 19-44 5-9 46

UNION 65Lanae Cicciarelli 0-0 0-0 0, TiffanyCorle 9-21 3-4 23, Courtney Frederick 0-1 0-0 0, Meagan Booth 0-1 0-0 0, Heather Booth 0-2 0-0 0, Torri Smith 2-12 0-0 5, Janele Divins 3-7 0-0 7, Mackenzie Shirey 4-8 3-4 11, Alicia Anthony 6-11 0-1 13, Corri Seybert 0-1 0-1 0, Melissa Shook 0-0 0-0 0, Denyelle Painter 3-11 0-0 6.

Totals: 27-75 6-10 65

Northern Potter 11 14 11 10—46Union 17 18 17 13—653-point goals: Northern Potter 3 (B. Rounds 3); Union 5 (Corle 2, Smith, Divins, Anthony)

TBA: Union vs. Elk County Catholic at site and time TBD